Conveyer locking and aligning system



A.B.BOGLE CONVEYER LOCKING AND ALIGNING SYSTEM May 31, 1949.-

2 Sheefs-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15, 1945 May 31, 1949. A. B. BOGLE CONVEYER LOCKING AND ALIGNING SYSTEM Filed Dec; 15, 1945 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented May 31, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVEYER LOCKING AND ALIGNING SYSTEM Aubrey B. Bogle, Highland Park, Mich.

Application December 15, 1945, Serial No. 635,240

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to conveying systems such as traveling cranes, and in particular, to a locking mechanism for movable tracks which travel into and out of alignment with stationary tracks.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved aligning and locking mechanism for traveling conveyors or cranes having moving tracks cooperating with stationary tracks.

Another object is to provide an aligning and lockin mechanism for traveling conveyors or cranes having cooperating moving and stationary tracks, which mechanism also operates latches for selectively preventing or permitting a trolley device to move from one track to another according to whether the moving track is in alignment or out of alignment with the stationary track.

Another object is to provide a manually set locking system which is automatically operative to look a moving track when it moves into alignment with a stationary track.

Another object is to provide a locking system as set forth in the precedin object wherein the actuation of the locking system upon alignment of the tracks automatically releases latches upon either or both the stationary and moving track, these latches normally preventing a car or trolley upon one track from moving off that track.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view partly broken away of a locking and aligning system for traveling conveyors or cranes according to a preferred form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the locking system shown in Figure 1 with the parts in their positions when the tracks are out of alignment;

Figure 3 is an end elevation looking in the direction 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross section along the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation similar to Figure 2 but showing the parts in their positions when the tracks are looked in alignment;

Figure 6 is an end elevation partly in crosssection, looking in the direction 6-6 in Figure 5; and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to a portion of Figure 1 but showing the looking member extended prior to alignment of the tracks.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1 and 2 show a traveling conveyor such as an overhead travelling crane or carriage generally desighated it mounted. to travel upon rails ll resting upon supports l2, such as the framework of a building. The carriage it is mounted on the rails H by means of flanged wheels is rotatably mounted upon axles M which in turn are supported between the side arms l5 and it of brackets ll secured to cross members is preferably of channel cross-section. The cross members l8 are interconnected by braces l9 secured thereto as by welding or riveting.

Secured as at it to the cross members l8 and depending therefrom are vertical supports 2| of channel cross-section, the lower ends of which are secured as at 22 to transverse channel members 23 which in turn are interconnected by an angle member 2 5. Secured to and depending from the transverse members 251% is a track portion 25 having flanges 26 upon which the flanged wheels 21 of a car or trolley 28 travel to and fro. The wheels 2i are mounted upon axles 29 secured at one end in the side plates fill. The latter serve to support any suitable type of hoisting or conveying devices (not shown) such as a chain hoist, a basket, cradle or the like.

Cooperating with the moving track 25 are stationary tracks 3! and 32 supported in any suitable manner upon the building or its framework. The tracks ti and "$2 are positioned so that their ends 53 and 3 5 are in alignment with the opposite ends 35 and 36 respectively of the moving track 25 when the latter reaches a predetermined point. At that point, the flanges 3i and 38 of the stationary tracks SI and 32 are likewise in alignment with the flanges 2% upon the movable track 25 so that the wheels 2? of the trolley 28 may roll between the tracks without undue jolting.

In order to insure alignment, the movable carriage Ill is provided with a locking plunger 39 reciprocable between guide plates it (Figure 4) interconnected by a base Mia mounted upon the end of the movable track 25. The guide plates ii) are provided with Vertical slots 4| serving as vertical guideways to the opposite ends of a pin 42 passing through a weight 43. When the tracks 25 and ti are unlocked and not in alignment, the pin 42 is urged by the weight 43 downwardly into notches 44 in the upper ends of swinging latches or detents 45 pivoted at it to the base 48a of the guide plates 40.

The rearward end of the locking plunger 39 is pivoted at 41 to the connecting rods it which in turn are pivoted at 49 to the cranks 59 mounted upon the crank shaft 51. The latter is supported at its opposite ends in journal brackets 52 and stationar tracks 3| and 32.

53 secured as at 54 and 55 to the upper sides of the track 25 and angle member 24 respectively. Mounted on the outer end of the crank shaft is a cross bar 56 having eyes 51 and 58 at its opposite ends to which are secured the control members 59 and 6!). The lower ends of the control members 59 and 66, which may be either cables or rods, terminate in suitable handles (not shown). Accordingly, when the control member 59 is pulled downward (Figure 2), the locking plunger 39 is retracted, whereas when the control member 60 is pulled down (Figure 5), the locking plunger 39 is extended.

The stationary tracks 3! and 32 are provided with locking mechanism (only one being shown) cooperating with the locking mechanism mounted upon the traveling crane lit. The stationary locking mechanism includes a stationary cam member GI having a base 62 secured as at E3 to the upper side of the track 35 and having inclined top guide portions 65 leading to a notch 65 (Figures 3 and 6). The notch 65 of a size and shape adapted to serve as a locking notch for the outer end 66 of the locking plunger Cooperating with the cam member it! in guiding the end 56 of the locking plunger 3Q up the inclined guideway E4 into the notch is a movable cam member 61 having upwardly angled ends 68 and a lower edge 59. The movable cam member 61 is secured to the outer end of an arm ill pivoted as at H to the bearing bracket 12 having a base 13 secured as at it to the side of the track 3!. The base 13 provided with a pair of vertical guide plates on opposite sides of the arm ll). Extending l'h ugh and secured in the arm is is a pin it s: ar in purpose to the pin 42 and similarly having its opposite ends arranged to enter notches ,in the upper ends of swinging latches or detents 18. The latches or detents it are similar to the latches or detents A5 and are pivoted as at it to .thebase l3.

In the operation of the invention, let it be assumed that the travelling carriage it 5 approaching alignment of its track 25 i -l1 the The operator now pulls down the control member til, thereby extending the outer end 66 of the locking plunger .39 into the path of the cam member 5! (Figure 7) As the carriage I9 and its track 25 approach the cam member til, the end 55 of the locking plunger 39 encounters and ascends one of the inclined portions 5A to the top thereof and drops into the notch 65, contact being maintained with it by the edge 69 on the lower side of the movable cam member 61. As the end 65 of the locking plunger 39 ascends the incline t l of the stationary cam member 6|, the movable cam member rises, lifting the arm iii and consequently lifting the pin 16 out of the notches ll in the latches or detents 18 (Figure 6). This action freesthe latches or detents E8 to swing in either direction.

Meanwhile, the rising of the locking plunger 39 (Figure 6) due to its ascending the incline raises the weight 43 and consequently lifts the pin 42 out of the notches M- in the latches or detents 45, likewise freeing the latter to swing in either direction. As a consequence, when the tracks 3| and 25 are brought into alig ment and locked by the plunger 39 falling into the notch 65, there follows the unlatching of the latches or detents 45, likewise freeing the latter to swing in either direction. As a consequence,

when the traclm SI and 25 are brought into alignment and locked by the plunger 39 falling into the notch 65, there follows the unlatching of the latches or detents l3 and 45 permitting the wheels 2'? of a trolley device 28 to travel freely in either direction between the rails 25 and 3|, pushing the latches or detents A5 and l8 out of the way. At other times, however, when the tracks 25 and 3! are out of alignment, the latches or detents 45 and 18 are securely latched by the pins 42 and it in the notches i l and ll (Figure 2) so that the trolley member 28 cannot move either on the movable track 25 or off the stationary track 3i, whichever it happens to be on at the time.

Thus, the present invention provides a safety aligning and locking mechanism for a track which is movable into and out of alignment with a stationary track. At the same time, it also provides a latching or detent mechanism whereby a car or trolley is prevented from moving oif the end of either the movable or stationary track except when the two are properly aligned and locked. Furthermore, the latching and unlatching actions are accomplished automatically in response to the operation of the locking and aligning mechanism.

While I have shown and described my invention in detail, it is to be understood that the same is to be limited only by the appended claims, for many changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A safety aligning and stop mechanism for trolleys traveling on relatively movable tracks comprising a trolley stop pivotally mounted near the end of one track and arranged to swing into and out of stopping relationship with said trolley, a latching member movable into and out of latching engagement with said stop, a locking bolt reciprocably mounted on one of said tracks, a keeper mounted on the other of said tracks and having a bolt recess and an inclined cam portion, said cam portion being operative simultaneously to lift said bolt upward into said recess in response to the relative motion of said tracks into alignment and also to move said latching member out of latching engagement with said stop whereby to release said stop and permit travel of said trolley from one track to the other.

2. A safety aligning and stop mechanism for trolleys traveling on relatively movable tracks comprising a trolley stop pivotally mounted near the end of one track and arranged to swing into and out of stopping relationship withsaid trolley, a latching member movable into and out of latching engagement with said stop, a locking bolt reciprocably mounted on one of said tracks, a keeper mounted on the other of said tracks and having a bolt recess and an inclined cam portion, said cam portion being operative simultaneously to lift said bolt upward into said recess in response to the relative motion of said tracks into alignment and also to move said latching member out of latching engagement with said stop whereby to release said stop and permit travel of said trolley from one track to the other, said stop having a latching recess therein and said latching member having a latching projection movable out of saidrecess in response to the lifting of said bolt.

3. A safety aligning and stop mechanism for trolleys traveling on relatively movable tracks comprising a trolley stop pivotally mounted near the end of one track and arranged to swing into and out of stopping relationship with said trolley, a latching member movable into and out of latching engagement with said stop, a locking bolt reciprocably mounted on one of said tracks, a keeper mounted on the other of said tracks and having a bolt recess and an inclined cam portion, said cam portion being operative simultaneously to lift said bolt upward into said recess in response to the relative motion of said tracks into alignment and also to move said latching member out of latching engagement with said stop whereby to release said stop and permit travel of said trolley from one track to the other, said stop having a latching recess therein and said latching member having a latching projection movable out of said recess in response to the lifting of said bolt, and also having a member yieldingly urging said projection into said latching recess.

.4. A safety aligning and stop mechanism for trolleys traveling on relatively movable tracks comprising a trolley stop pivotally mounted near the end on one track and arranged to swing into and out of stopping relationship with said trolley, a latching member movable into and out of latching engagement with said stop, a locking bolt holder reciprocably mounted on one of said tracks, a locking bolt pivotally mounted on said bolt holder and extending beneath said latching mem- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 809,482 Whittemore Jan. 9, 1906 1,053,667 Steedman Feb. 18, 1913 1,117,545 Beausejour Nov. 17, 1914 1,150,003 Focardi Aug. 10, 1915 1,553,439 Goldberg Sept. 15, 1925 1,643,642 Phillips Sept. 27, 1927 1,841,454 Robertson Jan. 19, 1932 2,035,355 Weise Mar. 24, 1936 

